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Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday that chief financial officer Jason Wheeler will leave the company in April and be replaced by former CFO Deepak Ahuja.

During the electric-car maker’s quarterly earnings call, Mr Musk said that Mr Wheeler, who joined the company in November 2015 from Google, was leaving to “pursue opportunities in public policy”.

The outgoing financial chief described his time at Tesla as a “great ride” and added that he is “looking to scratch an itch that I had” for many years. He said he plans to do something in the public sector, without offering any further details.

Mr Ahuja had been with Tesla for seven years before leaving in 2015, and will formally resume the role in March to ensure a smooth transition. Before joining Tesla, Mr Ahuja worked for another auto manufacturer, Ford.

Mr Musk, Tesla and SpaceX chief, currently serves on US President Donald Trump’s advisory council.